Out of Exile
by andthestorytellerssay
Summary: After a fight with his boyfriends leads to an accidental drunken hookup, Sebastian gets some news he never expected to hear. (Established Sebklaine)
1. Chapter 1

**This was a plot bunny that would not leave me alone. The story probably won't be very long, but I absolutely have to get this out of my head before it drives me nuts. So...angst ahoy!**

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**Chapter One**

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Sebastian taps his pencil against his notebook and shoots an irritated glare toward the television, cranked so loud that it's distracting him from his Physics homework. He had been hoping that spending the evening in with his boyfriends would be enough to take his mind off the shit day he had at school, but as it was turning out, it was only making it worse. His head is going to explode and neither Kurt nor Blaine seem to fucking care.

He rubs his temples and squeezes his eyes shut. It's a little thing that sets him off, just a commercial that plays louder than the rest and that's it. He yells for them to turn it down before he even realizes it and Blaine spins on him.

"God, what in the hell is your problem today?" he snaps.

Admittedly, he has had a short fuse all day, but it's the beginning of May—finals week—and he really needs to study, plus all the extra hours at work he's pulling, can anyone really blame him. His rope is frayed and he doesn't mean to snap, he really doesn't, but he shouts, "_You_ are my fucking problem! You can't do anything quietly! You've got the television cranked so loud my ears are bleeding even after I've asked you nicely no less than a hundred _fucking_ times to turn it down, but of course you can't be bothered to think of anyone but yourself, can you?"

Kurt stands up and raises his voice, usually the voice of reason, should Sebastian choose to heed it. "You need to calm down, Seb."

He could relax and listen to Kurt or…

Sebastian jumps to his feet and gestures harshly toward Blaine. "Of course! Defend poor Blaine! Isn't that the way it always is? He's a selfish little shit and you'll defend him because you're pretty much his bitch, aren't you?"

Kurt steps forward and immediately opens his mouth to yell, but Blaine is on his feet between them. "I don't know what in the hell has gotten into you today, but you are _not_ going to talk to Kurt that way. Get your books and get out. And don't come back until you figure out what it is that you want, because _clearly_ it's not Kurt and I."

Without another word, Sebastian throws his books in his bag and storms out the door, taking his keys on the way out.

As soon as the door slams, he feels like an asshole. Had he asked them again to turn the television down, they would have done it and the entire conflict could have been avoided. It's too early to go back and grovel yet, so he trudges down the stairs and down the block. There's a little bar on the corner and he figures he'll wait out the storm there. Have a few drinks before heading home and apologizing in order to accept his rightful place sleeping on the couch for the night.

He flashes his fake ID at the bartender and orders the strongest thing he can think of.

The problem with Sebastian's plan is that, the more he drinks, the more his old demons start to haunt him. The insecurities that haven't plagued him for years come back to prick at the edge of his consciousness.

_They don't need you. You just fucked up big time. Way to go, you just ruined the best thing that's ever happened to you. They're never going to take you back. Why should they? It's over._

Naturally, to shut his brain up, he orders a few more drinks and contemplates the words on the bar napkin that are so blurred by his glassy eyes that he can barely make them out. He wrinkles his nose as the smell of too much perfume crowds his senses and causes him to look up.

There's a girl. Blonde hair, well-developed chest, cute nose but entirely too much of whatever perfume she bathed in. It takes a second for his drunken brain to realize that her hand is resting just above his knee and a little bit longer before he realizes why that's a problem.

"You're really cute," she says, her voice bubble gum sweet and way too flirty. He should be saying something here, but her hand is rubbing his thigh and he can't remember what he should be saying. "You wanna get out of here?"

He lifts his drink to his lips and drains it.

—

He jolts awake when Kurt gives the side of the couch a swift kick. He doesn't remember letting himself in, but he must have. He's still fully dressed and his mouth is coated in the stale taste of alcohol.

When he looks up, his eyes barely dragging open, he mumbles, "I was an asshole."

Kurt and Blaine are standing with their arms crossed and Kurt answers, "Yeah, you were."

Blaine leans down and shoves at his shoulder. "Come to bed."

He climbs off the couch and into their bedroom, stripping down to his underwear and falling into bed beside his boyfriends, exhausted and glad to have the godforsaken day over with.

—

Naturally, the day after the fight comes _The Talk_. There are tears and the inevitable "Why did you say it if you didn't mean it?" but Sebastian apologizes and by the end of the day, it's just another thing that didn't break them.

Finals week ends and school is out for the summer. There are big plans to go back to Ohio for their vacation (if they can get any time off) and see their families. Sebastian is sure he'll never hear the end of his mother going on and on about how sweet Kurt and Blaine are. He pretends it's annoying, but truth be told, he loves how much his family loves him and his boyfriends.

Blaine's family is a different story that no one likes to tell. They avoid each other for the most part. Cooper came to stay with them a few months ago and even Sebastian thought he was too cocky. Funny and oblivious in a way that was endearing, but cocky.

And then there's Kurt's family. Burt and Carole were the first to find out in the worst possible way. Kurt had overestimated how much time alone they would have in the empty house together before his parents came home. All three of them were quite literally caught with their pants down.

It had taken some explaining that it wasn't just a tryst they were having, wasn't Kurt and Blaine spicing up their love life with a side of Sebastian, but once they really understood that Sebastian was in it for the long-haul, they came around quickly and welcomed him into the family.

But, with money the way it is, a trip back to Ohio this summer isn't looking like it's very probable and it's decided not long after to just spend the summer exploring New York City. They've lived there for a little over a year and haven't had time to do much of the tourist stuff. It's stupid and corny, but Sebastian takes Kurt and Blaine's picture on top of the Empire State Building and grins stupidly as he sets it as his phone's background.

It's mid-July and Sebastian is following his boyfriends through the door of their apartment. The heat in the city is sweltering and it's not much cooler inside their apartment.

"Blaine and I are going to take a shower, babe," Kurt says, peeling his shirt off of his sweat drenched body with a grimace. "Why don't you order us something to eat?"

Kurt darts a kiss to his lips and Sebastian agrees, picking up his phone to just order a pizza when it rings in his hand. It's a number he doesn't recognize, but thinking it may be someone from work calling for him to cover their shift, he answers.

"Hello?"

"Is this Sebastian Smythe?" a female voice asks, her voice sounding airy.

"Yes, who's this?" he asks, toeing off his shoes and falling onto the couch. The water for the shower turns on and he grins to himself. He's decided that he's not about to let Kurt and Blaine have all the fun, even if three in the shower is a bit of a tight squeeze. They've made it work before.

"My name's Kristen and we met in a bar a couple months ago…" she prompts, but Sebastian comes up with nothing. It's not like him to be unable to put a face to a name. "Anyway," she says, sounding a little affronted at not being remembered. Apparently, she thinks she's something special. "We need to meet up to talk. Soon."

Sebastian rolls his eyes. "Look, I'm sure we had a good time in the bar or whatever, but I'm not really interested in meeting up. I'm gay."

"Yeah, well, you sure weren't singing that tune when we went back to my place," she says, sounding a little amused, but Sebastian feels sick.

"What?" He tries his best to remember but draws a blank.

She clears her throat and sound a little more serious this time. "Yeah. So, anyway, we should meet up. We have something we need to talk about."

Something akin to panic crashes into Sebastian and all at once, he's sure he knows what she's about to say, but out of sheer tortured curiosity, he asks, "What is that?"

"I'm pregnant."

If he hadn't been sitting, he's sure he would have collapsed to the floor. But apparently she's not done. "And I don't have a lot of money. I work as a waitress and my rent is like…super high…so I was wondering if I could borrow a few hundred bucks so I could—"

"No!" He's on his feet now. "Where are you?"

"I'm in my apartment. Why?" she asks, sounding completely oblivious.

"Meet me in the same bar as soon as you can get there, alright. Just, please…"

She agrees and he hangs up the phone. He has no idea what his exact course of action is going to be, but he needs to do something. He starts by clearing his throat and trying to sound like he's not on the very edge of a panic attack and knocking on the bathroom door. "Babes, I'm going out for a little bit, okay? Just order something when you get out."

He hears Kurt over the shower. "Okay, baby. Hurry back. I love you."

"I love you, too," he says, his voice sounds choked even to himself and he darts out of the apartment before Kurt or Blaine can figure out that something is wrong.

—

This can't be real. No. It isn't happening. He takes a deep drink from the beer that's doing little to calm his nerves and sets it back on the table with a shaking hand.

Kurt and Blaine are never going to forgive him for this and he's not sure if he wants to cry or throw up. His stomach has been churning sickly since he hung up the phone and the burning in his stomach is matched by the burn of threatening tears in his eyes.

They deserve so much better than this. Than _him_. It seems like he's only capable of hurting people no matter how hard he tries. They're so loving and trusting and what did he do? He fucking ruined it. He ruined it just like everything else in his life. His boyfriends were the only thing keeping him going in this city and in one fell swoop, he fucked it up.

He doesn't need to look up to know the girl—Kristen, apparently—is standing by the side of the table. It hits him all at once when he smells her perfume. It's the same cloying sweetness that he remembers as being so overpowering that night at the bar and he rubs at his temples as little flashes of memory come back.

She drops down in the opposite side of the booth and folds her arms on the table. "So…are you going to give me the money to take care of this or not? I'm leaving to go to school in a week and I want it over with by then."

"What?" he asks dumbly, pulled from his reverie before his thoughts actually catch up with him. "I mean. No."

She rolls her eyes, looking irritated and goes to stand up, but Sebastian reaches out and grabs her arm. "Wait. That's not—" He growls once in irritation with himself, squeezing his eyes shut. "Just, sit, okay?"

Kristen sits back down and stares at him as he tries to organize a single thought. The most important thought. "I'm not going to pay for you get rid of the baby—"

"But if you give me 500 dollars, this whole thing can go away and you can go home to your boyfriends and they'll be none the wiser…"

"How do you know about them?" Sebastian asks, feeling like he's about two seconds away from snapping.

"Please, you no more than finished with me before you were babbling about wanting to get home to your boyfriends. How do you think they'd feel about this? It's not like you can tell them. They'll boot your ass to the street, baby doll." Her voice is almost amused in a cold, calloused way and it brings fresh tears prickling at the back of Sebastian's eyelids.

He clears his throat. "Yeah, well. Don't worry about them. I already fucked that up, but I can't let you do this."

"Do what?" she asks, oblivious again.

Sebastian leans forward and without really thinking about it, starts talking. "Kristen, you said that you don't have a lot of money, well, I do. I know this sounds insane, but I will pay you anything you want not to go through with this. I'll rent you an apartment or pay your tuition to whatever school it is that you're going to. I'll cover all of your hospital bills and whatever you need, plus I'll even throw in some compensation at the end. Whatever you want."

He's aware of how desperately frantic he sounds but can't bring himself to care. She looks a little shocked but her eyes are far away like she's considering it, so Sebastian breathes a little sigh of relief.

"I get that it's your right to choose. I'm not arguing that, but I just want to give you another option and beg you to consider it." He sounds almost pathetic now but again, he doesn't care as long as she's considering it. "I'll take care of it and you'll never have to think about it again and as soon as it's born, you'll never have to see me again either."

"I'm moving to Maryland," she says as though it's a condition.

"I'll go with you," Sebastian promises, though his heart breaks a little because he has to leave. He has to hurt the two people he loves most. He already hurt them. This is just a consequence.

She leans back in her seat, contemplating. "And you'll give me whatever I want?"

"Anything," he agrees with a nod. "Provided you're willing to sign over rights and everything."

"Fine," Kristen agrees with a long suffering sigh. "Are you gonna need a place to stay until we leave?"

Sebastian nods and takes a drink. "Yeah."

She scribbles her address and phone number on a napkin and slides it across the table. "I'll make up the couch for you," she says as she stands up and leaves, clearly just as ready to have the exchange over with as Sebastian is.

He watches he leave before draining the rest of his drink and walking into the heat and pulling out his phone before ducking into an alley. There's no answer but he leaves a message.

"Dad, it's me. Listen, I need a favor…"

—

By the time Sebastian finally makes his way back to their apartment, he's walked around long enough for the tears to stop and the numb feeling of total helplessness to settle in. Kurt and Blaine are both gone to work (both working the graveyard shift at the diner Kurt managed to get Blaine a job at after he finally moved to New York) so he's able to do what he needs to do without actually having to talk to anyone.

It's the coward's way out of the situation, but he feels pretty much exactly like a coward right now. He packs all of his clothes into a suitcase, along with a few things he needs, and leaves a note:

_I'm sorry. I fucked up. You deserve better. Don't try to find me, please. I love you both._

_-Seb_

He sets pen and the paper on top of the counter. He locks the door on his way out and slides his key under the locked door, fighting back a choking, painful sob as he turns away from his home.

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**A/N: Reviews are always appreciated! :) I honestly have no idea where this story is going to end up rating wise. There might be smut. Who knows? Smut is always good, right? **


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

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It's dark inside the apartment when Blaine stumbles in, half asleep and ready to curl up in bed with Kurt and the boyfriend he didn't even get to kiss goodbye before having to go to work. He trips up and takes a step back when he accidentally kicks something that skitters across the wooden floor and he flips on the light to see what it is.

"Watch out, sweetheart," Kurt instructs gently from behind him, resting a hand on Blaine's hip as he side-steps him to get inside the apartment.

Blaine is staring at the floor in confusion when he sees a key. He picks it up and stares at it uncomprehending and turns toward Kurt to ask if belongs to him to see that Kurt is absolutely frozen by the counter.

He closes his fingers around the cool metal and crosses over to Kurt's side. "Kurt? What's—"

Kurt looks shocked and seconds away from shattered as he holds up a note in a very familiar handwriting and Blaine woodenly holds up the key he found on the floor, understanding now.

Neither one gets any sleep that night and they take turns calling and texting Sebastian only to receive no answer. Kurt starts to cry again and Blaine goes to make coffee. By the next morning, they're exhausted and Sebastian has changed his number.

Kurt literally picks Blaine up and carries him to bed, holding him as he cries his heart out into the already tear-stained fabric of Kurt's shirt. He shushes him and promises it will be okay, but it's mainly just words and Blaine knows it. It's almost impossible to imagine _okay_ without Sebastian.

But eventually, life has to go on. They get back to work and school. They try to spend as little time around their apartment as possible and actually discuss moving before the idea becomes entirely too much and Blaine crawls back into bed for almost a week. Kurt apologizes and promises that he won't bring it up again.

About two more months go by and Kurt can't take it anymore. He's had the number in his phone for years and finally decides to call. Someone picks up on the second ring.

"Hello?" a familiar, friendly woman's voice greets and Kurt can't decide if he feels warmth or ice shoot through his veins as the memories come rushing back.

He clears his throat. "Hello, Mrs. Smythe, this is Kurt and I—"

"I'm sorry, Kurt, but Sebastian said not to tell you or Blaine where he is," she says, and she really does sound apologetic. He wonders what she knows and what she can't tell him.

"I know that," he breathes out a heavy sigh. "I just—I need to know if he's okay, ma'am. He hasn't answered our calls or text messages and I just need to know that he's alright."

There's silence on the other end of the phone as the woman deliberates. When she finally speaks, her voice is soft and regretful. "Yes, Kurt, he's alright. It's been hard, but he's adjusting."

"Is he with you?" He knows he's pushing his luck, but he thinks it might make him feel just a little better to know that Sebastian is with family who cares about him. Especially when something is so clearly wrong.

"No, sweetheart. He's not with us. We've tried, but he won't listen. You know how Seb is." It's all the explanation Kurt needs, because yes, he knows how Sebastian is. He internalizes everything and traps himself in his own mind. It kills Kurt to think that Sebastian is all alone without anyone to talk to.

Mrs. Smythe is speaking again, her tone even more regretful than before. "I think it would be best if you didn't call anymore."

Kurt swallows thickly against the painful lump in his throat. "Y-Yes, ma'am."

"You and Blaine take care of each other, okay?" she asks, though it's more of an instruction that rings with a final goodbye.

"We will."

"Goodbye, Kurt."

And the phone goes dead.

Kurt walks around the block for a few minutes to make sure it doesn't look like he's been crying before heading back up into the apartment.

—

It's been almost a year since Sebastian left and school is winding down again. This year there are concrete plans to spend the entire summer in Ohio due to the fact that they absolutely have to get away from New York, away from their apartment. They finish their final exams and take off that night.

Carole is the one who meets them at the airport in Columbus, running forward to sweep them both into a warm hug. "Oh you both look terrible," she laments, framing Blaine's face with her hands.

"It's good to see you, too, Carole," Kurt answers with a laugh. She smacks him on the arm as they walk toward the car.

Lima is just as they left it and it's easy to fall into the familiar patterns of coffee at the Lima Bean and meeting up with old friends. Eventually, people stop asking where Sebastian is when they see the way it makes Kurt's eyes go distant and Blaine stutter out a well-practiced explanation that doesn't really explain anything.

Kurt squeezes Blaine's hand under the table and hears him sigh just a little before plastering the bright, warm smile back on his face even if it doesn't touch his sad, hazel eyes.

During coffee with Tina and Sugar, Kurt's phone goes off in his pocket and he quickly fishes it out to find a text from Carole asking if he and Blaine could stop on the way home and pick up eggs and bread crumbs for the meat loaf she's making tonight. He breathes a sigh of relief, because while he may love Tina and Sugar, he really, really needs to get out of the Lima Bean before something he's been trying to avoid comes clawing at his consciousness. From the looks of it, Blaine is feeling it too.

They make their escape and take a deep breath as they climb into the car. "We've just got to stop at the store and pick up a few things for Carole and then we can go home."

Blaine nods and lets his head fall against the headrest with a thump. Kurt takes his hand across the console and slides a thumb across his knuckles. "Bad day, sweetheart?"

"The Lima Bean always reminds me of Seb," Blaine admits miserably. "It's kind of hard to be back here without him. I thought it would be easier than being in New York without him, but…" Blaine trails off, shrugging. "I just miss him a lot sometimes."

"I know, sweetheart," Kurt answers on a breath, lifting Blaine's hand to his lips to press a kiss to the back of it. "So do I."

—

It's florescent bright and cool inside the grocery store as Blaine grabs a basket and falls into step with Kurt. He wants to take his hand like he could back in New York, but there are eyes on them already and it makes a long suppressed anxiety threaten to surface so he keeps his hands to himself.

Kurt is already tossing a container of bread crumbs into the basket and heading toward the refrigerated section for the eggs. Blaine looks around to see that the aisle is mostly empty and rests a hand on the small of Kurt's back. "Do you want to get some ice cream and watch a movie tonight, baby?"

"Yeah, that sounds good," Kurt answers, and Blaine is pleased to see a small smile curving his lips. Sometimes, it takes a lot to put a smile on Kurt's face these days. "What kind—"

Blaine looks to see why Kurt has stopped dead in the middle of the aisle and sees a familiar, yet wholly _unfamiliar_ sight. It's Sebastian, there's no mistaking that. But he looks exhausted, from the dark circles under his eyes to the haphazard way he's dressed—sweatpants and a t-shirt. It's all too confusing. Sebastian would never leave the house looking anything less than perfect.

More disconcerting is the aisle in which he's standing. There are baby bottles and medicines and he's staring at them as though trying to figure out a complex math equation before turning just a little and ducking his head, shushing quietly toward the baby he's got on his hip, unseen until he moved.

And naturally, instead of doing the adult thing and going up to talk to him, Kurt drags Blaine aside and they hide behind an endcap until Sebastian leaves. The baby—she can't be more than five months old—stares at them with warm green eyes and smiles.

"She must be Vicky's baby," Blaine says, straightening up. "I didn't even know she was pregnant."

"I don't think she was," Kurt answers, confused. "But…then again…how would we know?"

Blaine looks determined now. "We have to follow him, Kurt."

"Blaine we can't just _follow him_," Kurt says, scandalized. "Wait. Do you still have Wes' number? They were friends, weren't they?"

Wordlessly, Blaine pulls out his phone and calls Wes, catching up for a few minutes before asking about Sebastian. The way Blaine's face screws up in concern before hanging up worries Kurt. "What'd he say?"

"He said he hasn't heard from him in months. But he said the last he heard from David, he's living in the Woodbriar Apartments outside of Lima."

"My aunt used to live there," Kurt says, his voice sounding determined. "I know right where it is."

They check out and get home in record time, apologizing profusely to Carole about missing dinner before jumping back in the car and heading out. Determined.

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**A/N: Reviews are always appreciated! :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Wow! Thank you for the amazing reviews for this! This was just a crazy idea in my head; I never expected anyone to really care about it as much as I do, so thank you guys so much! :)**

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**Chapter Three**

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Sebastian is sure he's losing his mind. At this point, it might be a welcome development. Working two jobs while taking care of a baby seems like enough stress to actually bring about the loss of his sanity. The only thing keeping him going is the little girl he's working so hard to support. The one in his arms. The one who's coughing hard enough to wrack her tiny little frame.

He hitches her up on his hip again and does another lap around the living room. "Come on, Cass, you need to sleep," he breathes, bouncing her gently in a way that usually calms her. Apparently nothing is going to work tonight.

The span of time between leaving New York and Cassie being born was absolute hell. He got dragged to East Jesus Nowhere, Maryland and had to put up with Kristen's endless bitching about everything. Apparently, when entering into the agreement, he'd also signed himself up as a 24 hour concierge service and ended up going out to find her the perfect shade of nail polish at 2 in the morning when he had to work the next day.

He did her school work, her housework, took her to all of her appointments and received not one single thank you. It doesn't matter now though. He's holding what's important. He drops a kiss to the top of his daughter's head and loves that it makes her smile.

It's her that makes working two jobs while trying to balance school work for Allen County Community College worth it. Everything he has to do for her is worth it. He just wishes he wasn't so alone. He misses the warmth of being with Kurt and Blaine. The laughter and the love in their apartment. He thinks he misses the music, too. The way Kurt was always humming something as he worked. It was something he didn't realize how much he loved until it was gone.

Sebastian presses his lips to his daughter's forehead. "God, you've got a fever now."

He's starting to panic and Cassie has another coughing fit before she starts crying because it has to hurt. He tucks her up close and pats her back as he murmurs in her ear and feels like he's coming just a little unraveled. He's sure watching his baby cry out in pain is the worst, most terrifying feeling in the world.

But he's already given her the cough medicine and is debating on running another warm bath for her.

—**x**—

The apartments are a little more run down than Kurt remembers and Blaine keeps asking why anyone would want to live on this side of town. Kurt refrains from mentioning that some people don't have a choice. They pull up beside a block of mailboxes and Blaine gets out to scan the names on the front. "113A," he calls back as he gets in the car.

They follow signs and are reasonably sure they've found the right apartment, confirmed when they see the cast iron numbering beside the door. Kurt takes a deep breath and knocks four times.

It's easy to hear the sound of a baby crying from the other side of the door and it gets closer with approaching footsteps. The sound of feet freezes in front of the door as Sebastian looks through the peephole. The door opens slowly and Kurt and Blaine's hearts break in tandem at the completely lost expression on Sebastian's face.

Blaine is just about to open his mouth to speak when Sebastian breaks down, a wave of emotion seeming to wash over him at once and all he says is, "She's sick and I can't help her…"

Less than a second later, Blaine has the baby in his arms and Kurt is leading Sebastian over to the couch. Blaine is bouncing the little girl on his own hip now. "Do you have a hot water bottle?"

"U-Under the bathroom sink," Sebastian chokes out, still looking lost and broken.

Blaine disappears and Kurt takes Sebastian's hands. "Seb, why did you leave? We were scared to death and then you just didn't call and told everyone not to tell us where you went."

"Because I fucked up," Sebastian chokes out, miserable.

"How? What did you do?" Kurt asks before he lets out a deep breath. "The baby."

Sebastian nods. "I'm so sorry that I hurt you. I never meant to. I was so drunk—"

"Shut up, Sebastian," Blaine instructs from the doorway, holding the hot water bottle against the baby's back. She's stopped crying now and actually looks like she might be falling asleep. "You've been doing this on your own for how long?"

"Cassie will be six months old in August," Sebastian answers thickly. "I found out that the girl I accidentally hooked up with was pregnant last July and I left. I couldn't bear to see how disappointed you were in me. I'm just—I'm so sorry."

"Did you mean to do it?" Kurt asks and Sebastian looks confused. "It was that night we kicked you out and you came home blackout drunk, wasn't it?"

Sebastian nods and looks like he's about to start speaking but Kurt cuts him off.

"I knew it. You smelled like perfume and I couldn't figure out why. Seb, _this_ was an accident, and you beating yourself up and hiding over it isn't going to change that. Honey, why didn't you just tell us?"

There's silence for a moment while Sebastian stammers wordlessly before sighing. "I just couldn't take it if you were disappointed in me. I'd rather have you hate me for leaving than disappointed in me because I broke your trust."

Blaine crosses the room, shushing in Cassie's hair when she fusses before sitting down next to Sebastian. "Seb, you should have tried to explain it to us. You were upset that night and you went out and had God knows how much to drink. I'm not saying that I like what you did, but I'm not upset or disappointed. Things happen, Sebastian. Bad things and if we're not honest about them then they can break us. Just like this did."

"I want her to know you guys," Sebastian says, his voice bordering on tears. "I—God, I show her pictures even though she doesn't understand. I hold her and look at her and all I want is to be able to share her with you, because I want to share everything with you but I ruined it. Just like I ruin everything—"

"Sebastian," Kurt starts, shaking his head. "Honey, you didn't ruin anything. You made a mistake. You're human."

Sebastian drops his head. "I cheated on you and I don't even remember it. I fucked up my entire life and I didn't even—"

"You didn't fuck anything up," Blaine cuts in. "Look at this little girl." Sebastian turns and looks down at his sleeping daughter's face as she's cradled in Blaine's arms. "She is absolutely beautiful, Sebastian. Can you honestly look at her and say that doing what you did fucked up your entire life?"

A slow smile lifts Sebastian's lips in spite of himself and he reaches out to slide his thumb across his daughter's cheek. "No. She's the best thing that ever happened to me."

"Knowing what you know now, would you take it back if you had the chance?" Blaine continues and Sebastian shakes his head.

"No."

"Then why don't you stop regretting it and help me put your daughter to bed?" Blaine asks with a small smile. "She really is beautiful, Seb."

Sebastian smiles warmly as he takes Cassie from Blaine's arms. "I do make pretty babies, don't I?"

Kurt laughs quietly, the tension passing for the moment, and he stands up to look at the baby. "May I?" he asks, reaching for her. Sebastian's face lights up as Kurt takes her and cradles her close. "You're beautiful just like your daddy, Cassie," he coos softly, ducking down to kiss her forehead. "Oh. She's got a fever, Seb."

"I know. I've been trying everything—"

"Motrin?" Blaine asks, and Sebastian nods.

"I just gave her some before you two got here. My mom said she slept most of today which isn't normal. She's usually always awake and busy with something. Then I got her and she fell asleep right after I fed her. I had to hold her up while I gave her a bath." Sebastian's worry seems to be pouring out now.

Kurt watches Sebastian talking quickly about how much Cassie has eaten today and how she didn't want to ride in the car to go to the store and she always likes to ride in the car, and he can't imagine how lonely it must be to try and raise a baby on your own. To not have anyone to share that with and he finds that he feels less upset over Sebastian's one-night stand and more warmed by the changed image of the boy he sees in front of him.

As he takes Cassie from Kurt's arms and tucks her close to his own chest, holding her there and giving her little bits of affection like he can't help it, Kurt wants to be the one Sebastian shares that with and, from the look on his face, Blaine does too.

Blaine goes with Sebastian to help tuck the baby in and Kurt makes coffee. There's a hell of a lot to talk about and none of it is going to happen if they're all falling asleep.

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**A/N: Reviews are always appreciated! :) Also, there was a request for a little bit of Seb/Kristen smut by the wise TVTime whose ideas I have shamelessly stolen many a time to improve my stories, so I was wondering if that's something anyone would like to see? Maybe a drunken flashback or something? **


	4. Chapter 4

**_I'm so sorry for the ten year wait between chapters on this. I promise it won't happen again. I'm not even totally sure why it happened in the first place. This chapter is short but the next one will be posted very soon. I'm going to try and get this fic finished by the end of the month._**

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**Chapter Four**

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"I left the night I found out," Sebastian says quietly, staring at his folded hands as though they hold the words he's trying to find. He looks up suddenly to meet Blaine's eyes, earnest and pleading. "Please don't think that this was something that I kept from you. I'd never—"

"Seb," Kurt's soft but stern interjection brings him up short and cuts off his panicked rambling. "Stop."

He takes a breath to steady himself and drops his eyes back to his hands as guilt gnaws at his stomach again. He swallows past the lump in his throat. "I just don't think that I could handle it if you both thought I'd found out and then hung around while I figured out what to do." His words are quiet and sad. "If you thought that I knew and that I'd slept with you even though I knew I cheated…"

Blaine turns toward Sebastian and reaches across the no man's land between them on the couch to take his hand. "Sweetheart, we'd never think that," he says, just shy of an earnest whisper. "You're so much better than that. And you are a lot of things, Sebastian, but a liar isn't one of them." He squeezes Sebastian's hand and sees him swallow convulsively in an effort to keep the tears shining in his eyes at bay.

It's not even conscious choice that makes Blaine lean forward to press a soft kiss to his lips. It was the deep instinct to comfort and soothe the hurt and open vulnerability plain on his face. Sebastian chokes out a sob against Blaine's lips and breathes out a desperate, "God, I love you so much," that's nothing short of a tortured plea. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't apologize, honey." Kurt shakes his head gently and rests a hand on Sebastian's knee. "Just come home."

"Home?" The hope in Sebastian's choked voice is enough to break Kurt's heart but he soldiers on.

He shifts closer to Sebastian, voice sure and even. "Yes. _Home_," he states, vehement. "Back with Blaine and I where you belong, because it's not home without you." He rocks forward and kisses Sebastian on the lips, his heart feeling full for the first time in over a year. "We will get through this, Sebastian, because I refuse to let it break us. I love you so much and nothing could possibly change that."

"What about Cassie?" Sebastian asks on a breath.

Kurt offers a smile and takes Sebastian's hand, squeezing it softly. "_Cassie_ will absolutely love being paraded around New York by her daddies."

And it's _that_ that finally breaks Sebastian. He throws himself forward to wrap his arms around Kurt's neck and _cling_ as he sobs his love and thanks into his collar. Kurt slides his fingers through Sebastian's hair as he holds him, and Blaine stands up to get himself another cup of coffee. "I'm going to call Burt and Carole to tell them we're not going to be home tonight," he says as he sits back down.

"Don't tell them why, though," Kurt instructs. Blaine nods knowingly as he picks up the phone.

"Burt knows," Sebastian says simply, swallowing nervously when he feels two sets of wide eyes on him. "My car broke down and I called my insurance company for a tow truck and they send your dad. I begged him not to tell you…" He trails off and his brow creases with a thought. "He tried to give me money, but I wouldn't take it. I know he tracked me down, though, because every month since them, someone has slid a plain envelope with a couple hundred dollars in it under my door."

Kurt's eyes are shining with unshed tears. "I am so proud to have him for a dad." He shakes his head and reaches to the side to rest a hand over Blaine's. "Blaine, don't call. Seb, get Cassie. Let's get out of here. I think I know a couple people who might want to meet their new granddaughter."

A wide smile touches Sebastian's face, making his eyes sparkle in the dim light of the room. "You want to pick out the clothes to pack for her? My mom bought her a ton of little outfits…"

Kurt smiles hugely and drags Sebastian toward the nursery.

—

When they pull up in front of the Hummel-Hudson house, Carole is finishing up opening the windows. She waves from the front door as she opens it to let the warm summer breeze in through the screen door before going to sit down.

Kurt turns to where Sebastian is shifting nervously in the backseat, his eyes locked on his daughter and a crease set deeply into his brow. "Don't worry, Seb," Kurt tries, awkwardly reaching but only able to rest the tips of his fingers on Sebastian's knee in an attempt to comfort. "It's going to be okay. You know how much Carole loves you."

Sebastian says nothing, doesn't even look up to meet Kurt's eyes. Instead, he brushes his thumb over Cassie's cheek as if her very presence is steadying in some way. She fusses quietly so Sebastian shushes her and unbuckles the car seat. "She hates being cooped up…"

He's clearly deflecting and Kurt sighs. "Seb…"

Sebastian takes the baby from her seat and cradles her to his chest. He kisses the side of her sandy hair gently before he sighs. "I know." He looks up to meet Kurt's eyes, his own soft and anxious. "I just don't want her to be disappointed in me."

"Sebastian, you made a beautiful little girl," Blaine starts, his voice firm but brimming with compassion and reassurance. "No one in their right mind could possibly be disappointed in you for that. Take a breath, sweetheart."

Kurt nods his agreement before turning to Blaine. "Honey, why don't you help Seb carry in the playpen and her bag while I go attempt to brace my step-mother." He give Sebastian a soft smile and touches his knee again. "Carole is going to love her, Seb."

There's a moment of thoughtful silence before Kurt slaps his hands against his knees and climbs out of the car, striding toward the house with a sense of purpose. His feet are loud on the front porch and the door creaks open in a way that's almost feels ominous given his already razor thin nerves. "Carole?" He receives an answer from the kitchen. "Can you come in here please? There's something very important I have to talk to you about."

She's wiping her hands on a dishtowel as she comes through the doorway, his expression one of complete concern. "What's the matter, Kurt? You look scared to death…"

He laughs quietly. "I-It's not that. I just—" He sighs, unable to find the words he'd been practicing in the car. He takes a deep breath and says, "Blaine and I found Sebastian."

"Oh." It's all she says, but it's enough to convey her worry.

"We're going to work it out and get back together, but things are a little…complicated," he states, his voice more even and sure than he thought possible. "It's just—" He tries to explain. "_Complicated_," he finishes lamely. Sebastian's current situation isn't something he really wants to spring on her and he's not even sure how to go about broaching the subject.

A small, motherly smile touches her face and she reaches out to pat Kurt on the shoulder. "Well, sweetheart, I know how much you three care about each other." She adopts her most calming _mom_voice and nods sagely. "And just remember, everyone has baggage."

"It's funny you should say that…" They turn at the sound of Blaine's voice from the doorway where he's standing with a sheepish expression, arms ironically laden with actual baggage. Carole's expression turns confused until Sebastian steps through the door behind him, clearly anxious and holding Cassie against his chest as though bracing for a confrontation.

Carole opens her mouth to speak but can only manage to point and ask, "Who…?"

Sebastian takes a deep breath to steady himself and says, "Carole, this is my daughter, Cassie."

And for a second, Kurt is honestly afraid that Carole is about to faint.

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**A/N: Reviews are always appreciated. :)**


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